FLORIDA SMALL CLAIMS RULES TABLE OF CONTENTS CITATIONS TO OPINIONS ADOPTING OR AMENDING RULES .................... 3 RULE 7.010. TITLE AND SCOPE .....................................................................4 RULE 7.020. APPLICABILITY OF RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE ........... 4 RULE 7.040. CLERICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES OF CLERK ... 5 RULE 7.050. COMMENCEMENT OF ACTION; STATEMENT OF CLAIM. 6 RULE 7.060. PROCESS AND VENUE .............................................................. 8 RULE 7.070. METHOD OF SERVICE OF PROCESS ....................................10 RULE 7.080. SERVICE AND FILING OF PLEADINGS AND DOCUMENTS OTHER THAN STATEMENT OF CLAIM ...........................................................10 RULE 7.090. APPEARANCE; DEFENSIVE PLEADINGS; TRIAL DATE ..12 RULE 7.100. COUNTERCLAIMS; SETOFFS; THIRD-PARTY COMPLAINTS; TRANSFER WHEN JURISDICTION EXCEEDED ..................15 RULE 7.110. DISMISSAL OF ACTIONS ........................................................16 RULE 7.130. CONTINUANCES AND SETTLEMENTS ...............................18 RULE 7.135. SUMMARY DISPOSITION .......................................................19 RULE 7.140. TRIAL ..........................................................................................19 RULE 7.150. JURY TRIALS.............................................................................20 RULE 7.160. FAILURE OF PLAINTIFF OR BOTH PARTIES TO APPEAR ... ......................................................................................................21 RULE 7.170. DEFAULT; JUDGMENT............................................................21 RULE 7.175. COSTS AND ATTORNEYS’ FEES ...........................................21 RULE 7.180. MOTIONS FOR NEW TRIAL; TIME FOR; CONTENTS ........22 RULE 7.190. RELIEF FROM JUDGMENT OR ORDER; CLERICAL MISTAKES ......................................................................................................22 RULE 7.200. EXECUTIONS ............................................................................23 RULE 7.210. STAY OF JUDGMENT AND EXECUTION .............................23 RULE 7.220. SUPPLEMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.......................................24 RULE 7.221. HEARING IN AID OF EXECUTION ........................................24 RULE 7.230. APPELLATE REVIEW ..............................................................25 RULE 7.300. FORMS ........................................................................................26 FORM 7.310. CAPTION ....................................................................................26 January 1, 2020 Florida Small Claims Rules Page 1 of 55 FORM 7.315. DESIGNATION OF E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR PARTY NOT REPRESENTED BY AN ATTORNEY ..................................................................26 FORM 7.316. CHANGE OF ADDRESS ...........................................................27 FORM 7.322. SUMMONS/NOTICE TO APPEAR FOR PRETRIAL CONFERENCE ......................................................................................................28 FORM 7.323. PRETRIAL CONFERENCE ORDER AND NOTICE OF TRIAL ......................................................................................................30 FORM 7.330. STATEMENT OF CLAIM (AUTO NEGLIGENCE) ................35 FORM 7.331. STATEMENT OF CLAIM (FOR GOODS SOLD) ....................35 FORM 7.332. STATEMENT OF CLAIM (FOR WORK DONE AND MATERIALS FURNISHED) ..................................................................................35 FORM 7.333. STATEMENT OF CLAIM (FOR MONEY LENT) ...................36 FORM 7.334. STATEMENT OF CLAIM (PROMISSORY NOTE) ................36 FORM 7.335. STATEMENT OF CLAIM (FOR RETURN OF STOLEN PROPERTY FROM PAWNBROKER) ..................................................................37 FORM 7.336. STATEMENT OF CLAIM FOR REPLEVIN (FOR RETURN OF PERSONAL PROPERTY/WEAPON FROM GOVERNMENT ENTITY) .....39 FORM 7.337. STATEMENT OF CLAIM (ACCOUNT STATED) ..................40 FORM 7.340. FINAL JUDGMENT ...................................................................41 FORM 7.341. EXECUTION ...............................................................................42 FORM 7.342. EX PARTE MOTION AND ORDER FOR HEARING IN AID OF EXECUTION .....................................................................................................42 FORM 7.343. FACT INFORMATION SHEET .................................................43 FORM 7.344. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE .......................................................48 FORM 7.345. STIPULATION FOR INSTALLMENT SETTLEMENT, ORDER APPROVING STIPULATION, AND DISMISSAL ................................49 FORM 7.347. SATISFACTION OF JUDGMENT ............................................50 FORM 7.350. AUTHORIZATION TO ALLOW EMPLOYEE TO REPRESENT BUSINESS ENTITY AT ANY STAGE OF LAWSUIT ................51 FORM 7.351. FORMAT FOR DEFENDANT’S MOTION ..............................52 FORM 7.352. DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO CONTINUE .............................54 FORM 7.353. DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO INVOKE THE RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE ..............................................................................................55 January 1, 2020 Florida Small Claims Rules Page 2 of 55 CITATIONS TO OPINIONS ADOPTING OR AMENDING RULES Original Adoption, effective 1-1-68: 203 So. 2d 616 and 205 So. 2d 297. Effective Date Citation Rules Amended or Adopted Effective 2-1-73: 270 So.2d 729. Complete revision. Effective 1-1-79: 366 So.2d 398. Amended 7.010(b), 7.020, 7.060, 7.070, 7.110(e), 7.150, 7.170(a), 7.210(c). Effective 1-1-79: 372 So.2d 449. Amended 7.050(a)(2); deleted 7.030. Effective 1-1-81: 385 So.2d 1367. Amended 7.060, 7.170. Effective 1-1-85: 461 So.2d 1344. Amended 7.010, 7.070, 7.090, 7.110, 7.130, 7.140, 7.150, 7.170, 7.180. Effective 1-1-89: 537 So.2d 81. Amended 7.050(a)(2), (b), 7.060, 7.090(b), (c), (e), 7.100(e), 7.140(f), 7.210(a); deleted 7.320, 7.321; added 7.050(e), 7.221, 7.322, 7.323, 7.340, 7.342, 7.343, 7.344. Effective 1-1-93: 601 So.2d 1201. Four-year-cycle revision. Substantively amended 7.070, 7.340; added 7.345. Effective 1-1-97: 682 So.2d 1075. Four-year-cycle revision. Amended 7.010(b), 7.020(b), 7.070, 7.110(e), 7.140(e), 7.221, forms 7.340, 7.343, 7.345. Effective 1-1-01: 785 So.2d 401. Four-yearcycle revision. Substantively amended 7.070, 7.135, 7.160, 7.221, 7.340, 7.345; added 7.080(f), 7.090(f)–(g). Effective 1-1-04: 849 So.2d 293. Two-year-cycle revision. Amended 7.050(a)(2), 7.090(b), form 7.322. Effective 1-1-06: 931 So.2d 78. Two-year-cycle revision. Amended form 7.343; added 7.175, forms 7.335, 7.343(b), 7.350. Effective 1-1-08: 959 So.2d 1169. Three-year-cycle revision. Added form 7.347. Effective 4-17-08: 980 So.2d 1054. Added committee note to form 7.347. Effective 10-01-08: 985 So.2d 1033. Amended 7.090(f) and form 7.322. Effective 01-01-11: 44 So.3d 573. Three-year cycle revision. Amended 7.050, 7.335, 7.342, 7.343. Effective 07-01-11: 64 So.3d 1196. Amended 7.090(b). Effective 10-01-11: 80 So.3d 317. Amended 7.140, and forms 7.340, 7.343. Effective 12-15-11: 78 So.3d 1303. Amended 7.040. Effective 9-1-12: 102 So.3d 505. Amended 7.050, 7.080. Effective 4-1-13: 102 So.3d 451. Amended 7.080. Effective 1-1-14: 123 So. 3d 41. Three-year-cycle revision. Amended 7.010, 7.050, 7.140, 7.322, 7.350. Adopted 7.336. Effective 1-1-17: 200 So.3d 746. Three-year-cycle revision. Amended 7.050, 7.080, 7.090, 7.160. Effective 1-1-20: 283 So.3d 802. Amended 7.010. Effective 1-1-20: 2019 WL 6765770. Three-year-cycle revision. Amended 7.020, 7.040, 7.050, 7.060, 7.080, 7.090, 7.100, 7.130, 7.150, 7.160, 7.175, 7.180, 7.190, 7.200, 7.221, 7.230, 7.322, 7.323, 7.330, 7.331, 7.322, 7.333, 7.334, 7.335, 7.342, 7.343, 7.345; Adopted 7.315, 7.316, 7.337, 7351, 7.352, 7.353. NOTE TO USERS: Rules reflect all changes through 2019 WL 6765770. Subsequent amendments, if any, can be found at www.floridasupremecourt.org/decisions/rules.shtml. The Florida Bar also updates the rules on its website at www.FloridaBar.org (on the homepage click “Rules Update”). January 1, 2020 Florida Small Claims Rules Page 3 of 55 RULE 7.010. TITLE AND SCOPE (a) Title. These rules shall be cited as Florida Small Claims Rules and may be abbreviated “Fla. Sm. Cl. R.” These rules shall be construed to implement the simple, speedy, and inexpensive trial of actions at law in county courts. (b) Scope. These rules are applicable to all actions of a civil nature in the county courts which contain a demand for money or property, the value of which does not exceed $8,000 exclusive of costs, interest, and attorneys’ fees. If there is a difference between the time period prescribed by these rules and by section 51.011, Florida Statutes, the statutory provision shall govern. Committee Notes 1978 Amendment. The addition to (b) is designed to eliminate confusion caused by denomination of section 51.011, Florida Statutes, as “Summary Procedure.” 2013 Amendment. Subdivision (b) is amended to clarify that the Florida Small Claims Rules apply to a claim for money or property even when expressed as, or coupled with, a claim for equitable relief. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company v. Green, 579 So. 2d 402 (Fla. 5th DCA 1991). RULE 7.020. APPLICABILITY OF RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE (a) Generally. Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 1.090(a), (b), and (c); 1.190(e); 1.210(b); 1.260; 1.410; and 1.560 are applicable in all actions covered by these rules. (b) Discovery. Any party represented by an attorney is subject to discovery pursuant to Florida Rules of Civil Procedure